Strike on HOLD

[PTinbound]

Why? Because we want a contract, not a strike. In a strike everyone loses. If the MEC says they are making progress and not to strike just yet, then I will stand behind them.
My MEC speaks for me.

 

[New2Flying]

Just a thought here...928 days have passed since the Mesaba contract was amendable. A final deadline to settle the issues was set, down to the minute...How is it that the management can wait 927 days, and 23 hours before making any kind of settlement offer, yet the pilot group is still not on strike?! I am all for the Mesaba pilot group emotionally, and financially also, however when you create a deadline, why not stick to it?

They cannot strike because once BOTH sides agreed to keep at the table, they are not released into self help. As long as they continue to talk, they are not at an impass.

 

[Tflyer70]

Just to make a point, as I have been dwelling over this all morning, the deadline was set for when we WOULD be legal to strike. A time frame and nothing more. Our MEC never said we WOULD at 12:01a EST today regardless of where we stood in contract status. It just gives the MEC the ability to legally seek self help and not be in violation of the RLA.

Its been many hours dwelling over this as I was mostly expecting a strike to occur. But I have to remember that I elected my reps and will let them do their job with due dilligence. After all, it still comes down to MEMRAT.

 

[fly4ever]

New2Flying,

You are mistaken. We were already released to self-help as of the deadline. When we choose to use that self-help is our decision and cannot be taken away from us. This has been up-held in previous court decisions. Our MEC chose to continue with negotiations because they felt we were close to reaching an acceptable agreement, one that will be ratifiable amongst the pilot group. My MEC speaks for me and when it is my turn to vote on the TA or to walk the picket line I will be speaking for myself.

 

[de Pez]

"they are not at an impass"

By definition, the 30 day cooling off period can not begin until an impass has been reached.

 

[mesaba2425]

After being pissed for several hours after the deadline I calmed down and slept on it. I have concluded, perhaps this is a tactic to keep management guessing. If it is, intentionally or not, it's working I suppose.

Or maybe management called ALPA's bluff????

 

[TonyC]

They cannot strike because once BOTH sides agreed to keep at the table, they are not released into self help. As long as they continue to talk, they are not at an impass.

They WERE released into self-help at the end of the 30-day period, and they still have the right to exercise self-help. The fact that the MEC has chosen to continue the "Super-Mediation" process does not revoke the right to exercise self-help.

 

[furloughed]

impasse

New2Flying,

An impasse has already happened. It was declared on December 11th and the 30 day cooling off period began. At the end of that 30 day cooling off period the pilots are free to strike or the company can lockout the pilots and enforce their own work rules and payscale. After the deadline passed last night the union can walkout of negotiations anytime and declare a strike regardless of the progress of those talks. The RLA allows this.

What has probably happened is that the company has finally come to the table with some meaningful contract provisions. Because the Company has stalled for over 900 days the entire contract needs to be hashed out, which takes time. When the union saw that the comapny was bargaining in good faith they decided to continue, but at the same time the union probably told management that if they tried to operate revenue flights today they would officially strike. By officially striking, negotiations end for a period of time (probably weeks or even a month) and pilots are free to scatter to all parts of the world. Other employees would be furloughed. To start up operations again after a strike has been called and then settled would take probably over a week. By doing what they are doing today, if the negotiations can be settled today, everyone is still in position to start up again tomorrow with relatively little loss of revenue. As long as the company continues to bargain in good faith the negotiations will continue, but at the same time there will be no revenue flights. I am sure as soon as the comapny tries to operate without a settlement, a strike will be called. So what we have is a virtual strike, that can easily be called off or it can easily made official. Either way, it sounds as if the company is finally starting to negotiate and this is a good thing for everyone involved.

 

[furloughed]

Or maybe management called ALPA's bluff????

If this was the case Mesaba management would have locked the pilots out or they would have tried to operate flights today. Niether has happened.

 

[sf3boy]

Capt. Tex's comments sound like something Ritchie would say.